Pedro Abarca de Bolea, the Conde de Aranda y Floridabianca y Castilflorido (1719-98), provided much of the early enlightenment of Carlos III’s reign. A Mason, a follower of Voltaire, and, in Condorcet’s words, a “destroyer of the Jesuits” in Spain, his secularism and reason in an era of councilor-style government by a small group of unusually talented advisors remained paramount throughout his life.
Aranda’s influence on Spanish colonial policy, according to this new study of his work, was particularly important. His diplomatic initiatives, largely developed while he served as Spanish ambassador to France in the 1770s, were grounded in the Anglo-Hispanic colonial struggle that had raged during the first three-quarters of the eighteenth century. While at first simply seeking advantage over Spain’s old Atlantic rival, Aranda was soon caught up in the philosophic importance of the emergence of the United States. Aware that his own society differed markedly, he nevertheless found it difficult to break this philosophic spell, although he was aware of the consequences for Spanish possessions in the New World.
The real value of this book lies in its presentation of Aranda’s evaluation of North Americans like Benjamin Franklin and John Jay who were responsible for the U.S. diplomatic campaign that neutralized British power in Europe. In general, El conde de Aranda y los Estados Unidos is a literate and philosophical study of the most important Spanish ally of North American independence. It furthers our understanding of the eighteenth-century elite that governed Spain, and provides an international context for some of their values. It does not go far enough, unfortunately, in discussing Aranda’s domestic opponents, who feared the impact of his policies on Spain’s American colonies.
